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This Week's PCR Movie Review |
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"Let Me In"
Movie review by: Movies are rated 0 to 4 stars
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| MOVIE REVIEW "Let Me In" by Mike Smith | ||
| LA FLORIDIANA The Fabulous Architecture of the Tampa Bay Region, Part 13. The Works of John Randal McDonald, Part Two, The Church Building: Transcending the Material to the Spiritual by William Moriaty | ||
| RETRORAMA Forgotten Films: Stop, Look, and Laugh by ED Tucker | ||
| THE AUDIO PHILES September Album of the Month: Neil Young Le Noise by Terence Nuzum | ||
| THE ASIAN APERTURE Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974) by Jason Fetters | ||
| MIKE'S RANT Passing On .... Rock And Roll Honors .... How Much Money Can I Make From These Movies - Let's Find Out .... .... .... .... .... .... Mike's Record Shelf by Mike Smith | ||
1983. On a snowy night in Los Alamos, New Mexico a man is being rushed to the hospital after an auto accident. His face is nearly burned off and he cannot speak. After he is stabilized he is questioned by a local police officer (Elias Koteas), but the man’s inability to speak makes the interview moot. The officer is summoned to the front desk for an urgent phone call. He listens for a few moments and then asks, rather urgently, “What girl?”
Adapted from the terrifying Swedish film “Let the Right One In,” “Let Me In” is easily one of the best horror films I have ever seen. Smartly directed for maximum effect by Matt Reeves, whose 2008 film “Cloverfield” had quite a few scares of its own, the films strongest point are the incredibly gifted kids who carry the film on their young shoulders. You may be familiar with Moretz, who plays 12 year old (more or less) Abby, the mysterious girl who moves next door to Owen (McPhee) and his mom. Moretz has already gained critical acclaim for her role as Hit Girl in “Kick Ass.” And you may remember McPhee as Viggo Mortensen’s son in “The Road.” But neither of those roles can prepare you for the work the two do here. It’s almost prophetic that the two resemble actors Kirsten Dunst and Elijah Wood when they were kids, as both Moretz and McPhee are truly on the same track as they were when they were younger.
The film follows the Swedish version very faithfully. Owen lives with his mother, who is divorcing his dad. He is very slight and frail looking and is the obvious target for school bullies. He spends the majority of his days sitting in his apartment house courtyard and munching on Now and Laters. His nights he spends with his telescope, observing the actions of the neighbors. One night he hears two of those neighbors moving in to the apartment next door. Peeking out into the night snow he is surprised to see that the young girl walking in is barefoot. He meets her the next day and offers her the chance to play with his Rubiks Cube. Though she is polite Abby feels she must let Owen know, politely, that “we can’t be friends.” When local yokels begin to turn up dead, Owens’ curiosity is aroused by the comings and goings of the man next door, who is played to a tee by Oscar-nominee Richard Jenkins. Incidentally, the film’s title comes from the fact (or myth, depending on your beliefs) that a vampire can only enter your house by being invited inside. If you’re a fan of the aforementioned “Lost Boys” you already know this.
A true edge-of-the-seat thriller, on a scale of zero to four stars I give “Let Me In” 
To comment on this or any other PCR article, please visit The Message Board. This week's movie review of "Let Me In" is ©2010 by Michael A. Smith. All graphics this page are creations of Nolan B. Canova, ©2010, all rights reserved. All contents of "Nolan's Pop Culture Review" are ©2010 by Nolan B. Canova.
